Corporate Secretary Services
A company secretary is a legally required officer of every Cyprus company, responsible for maintaining statutory registers, coordinating filings with the Registrar of Companies, and keeping the company’s governance records in order. The role is administrative rather than managerial — directors make the decisions, and the secretary makes sure those decisions are properly recorded and reported.
Strong secretary support reduces missed deadlines and gives banks, auditors, and other third parties a cleaner record to work from. It’s especially important for companies with nominee arrangements, international shareholders, frequent document requests, or group reporting requirements.
What’s Included
- Maintenance of statutory registers and company records
- Preparation of board and shareholder resolutions
- Coordination of changes to directors, secretary, shareholders, or registered office
- Annual return and corporate filing coordination
- Certified document requests and company certificate packs
- Support for bank, audit, accounting, and legal document requests
- Record keeping for approvals, minutes, and written decisions
Legal Requirements for a Cyprus Company Secretary
Every Cyprus company must appoint a company secretary under the Companies Law, Cap. 113. The secretary can be a natural person or a corporate entity, and there’s one notable exception to be aware of: in a single-member private company, the sole director is permitted to also act as secretary. For any company with more than one shareholder or director, the two roles must be held separately. (Confirm your specific position with your legal adviser, since the exact rules depend on your company’s structure.)
Most international owners appoint a professional secretary rather than relying on the director exception, largely because of the volume of statutory and filing work involved once a company has nominee arrangements, cross-border shareholders, or regular changes to record.
Common Company Changes We Support
Corporate secretary services often support share transfers, share allotments, resignations and appointments, registered office changes, officer updates, amendments to company records, and routine governance approvals. Each change should be supported by the correct internal approvals and filing steps, in the right order, so the company’s record with the Registrar stays accurate and up to date.
The Annual Return (HE32)
One of the secretary’s central recurring duties is preparing and filing the annual return (Form HE32) with the Registrar of Companies, confirming the company’s current directors, secretary, shareholders, registered office, and share capital. Late filing attracts a penalty that increases the longer it remains outstanding, so we track this deadline as a fixed date each year rather than something to get to eventually.
Why Good Secretarial Records Matter
Poor record keeping can delay bank reviews, audits, transactions, restructurings, and due diligence exercises. A well-maintained company file makes it easier to show who owns and controls the company, who has authority to act, and what decisions have been approved — which matters as much to your own board as it does to outside parties reviewing the file.
Indicative Annual Fees
| Item | Typical annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone company secretary | €250 – €800 | Varies with filing volume and the number of company changes during the year |
| Combined with registered office | €450 – €1,300 | Common bundled pricing, since the two are usually invoiced together |
These are indicative market ranges, not a quote. Actual fees depend on the volume of statutory work, the number of changes processed each year, and the complexity of the company’s structure — we confirm fees in writing before starting any work.
Corporate Secretary FAQs
Is a company secretary a legal requirement in Cyprus? Yes. Every Cyprus company must appoint a company secretary under the Companies Law, Cap. 113, and in most cases the secretary must be a different person from a sole director.
Can a company secretary be a company rather than an individual? Yes. A corporate entity can act as company secretary, which is common practice for international structures using a professional service provider.
What does a company secretary actually do? The secretary maintains statutory registers, prepares board and shareholder resolutions, coordinates filings such as the annual return, and keeps the company’s governance records accurate and current. The role is administrative, not managerial.
Do I need to update anything with the secretary when directors or shareholders change? Yes. Changes to directors, shareholders, secretary, or registered office all need to be reflected in the statutory registers and filed with the Registrar, with the correct supporting resolutions in place.
How much does a company secretary cost in Cyprus? Standalone secretary services typically range from about €250 to €800 a year, or roughly €450 to €1,300 when combined with registered office services. We confirm exact fees before any work begins.
What is the annual return, and does the secretary handle it? The annual return (Form HE32) confirms the company’s current officers, shareholders, and share capital with the Registrar each year. It’s one of the secretary’s core recurring duties, and late filing carries a penalty that grows the longer it’s outstanding.
Can I switch company secretary providers if I already have one? Yes. This is a routine officer change — a resolution appointing the new secretary and confirming the resignation of the old one, filed with the Registrar. We can take over from an existing provider without disrupting the company’s ongoing filings.
Does the secretary have authority to make decisions for the company? No. The secretary’s role is administrative — recording and filing what the directors decide — not managerial. Decision-making authority sits with the board.
Related Services
- Registered Office Services
- Fiduciary Services
- Nominee Director Services
- Corporate Administration
- UBO and Compliance Support
Not sure whether you need a standalone secretary or a combined package? Start an enquiry and we’ll help you work out the right scope for your structure.